Uneven Steps
by Settiai
Summary: Severus Snape never knew when or where he would see the Doctor next.


Nine-year-old Severus Snape could do nothing but watch as Lily Evans hurried to keep up with her sister, his cheeks warm with embarrassment and disappointment. Stupid. He was so stupid. It wasn't supposed to have gone like this. He'd been planning for weeks, months, down to the last detail; he'd wait for one of the many times that Lily showed off her magical talents to Petunia and then swoop in with all the answers. She was supposed to smile, ask him about the magical world. . . .

Sev sighed and let his gaze drop to the ground. He shouldn't be surprised. Nothing he did ever went as planned.

He pulled his coat around him and started toward the gate himself. There wasn't any point in staying. He'd ruined any chance he might have had at impressing Lily.

"Are you sure you want to leave? She might come back."

Sev let out a startled yelp at the unfamiliar voice, instantly looking up. Two men were standing right outside the playground's gate, both of them looking at him. He assumed that the older of the two, a blonde man wearing a cricketer's uniform, was the one who had spoken, considering the way his eyes were twinkling.

"I don't know you," Sev said, eyeing both of them warily. It was obvious that the younger of the two was a Muggle, based on his school uniform, but he wasn't certain about the other. There was something about the blonde man's eyes that made Sev think the stranger was more than he appeared.

The blonde man smiled. "No, I suppose you don't," he said gently. "I'm the Doctor, and this is Turlough."

Sev didn't reply, still moving his gaze uncertainly between the two of them.

After a few seconds passed, Turlough rolled his eyes. "He doesn't change much," he muttered, flinching a bit when he saw the warning look the Doctor suddenly aimed at him.

"I don't know you," Sev repeated, not even trying to hide the suspicion in his voice. He tensed slightly, prepared to run if needed.

The Doctor sighed. "It's a long story," he said, meeting Sev's gaze head-on. "And one that we really don't have time to go into right now."

As Sev stared at the Doctor, suddenly wondering if the man was completely sane, Turlough snorted. "Tegan was right," he grumbled, shaking his head. "All these years, and you still haven't learned anything about humans."

Without waiting for an answer, Turlough reached in the Doctor's pocket and pulled something out. Ignoring the Doctor's protest, he walked through the gate and knelt down in front of Sev. "Hold out your hand."

Sev kept staring suspiciously at him, but he slowly held his hand out. He was certain that this Turlough had no magical abilities, and he doubted that a Muggle could do anything too dangerous to him. Without warning something heavy dropped into his hand, startling him with its weight.

"Keep that with you, Snape," Turlough said. He gestured back at the Doctor. "The next time you see him, you're going to need it."

The ginger-haired man stood up and walked back over to the Doctor's side, not even trying to hide the smug look on his face. The Doctor, however, didn't look very impressed. Sev barely noticed, though; his attention was focused on what Turlough had placed in his hand. It was a heavy gold ring, covered in ornate script and hanging on a strong gold chain. A large green stone sat in its middle, but he was certain that it wasn't an emerald.

After several seconds had passed, Sev suddenly realized what Turlough had said. "How did you know my na. . . ."

He trailed off, surprised to see that both of the strange men had disappeared. Sev spun around, looking in all directions and half-expecting to see them standing behind him with wands raised. But they were gone.

Sev glanced back down at the ring in his hand, suddenly uncertain. He didn't know who they were or what they had given him. For all he knew, it could be a trick to rid the world of one more half-blood. As the older man's eyes flashed in his mind, though, he frowned. Biting his lip, he slowly slipped the ring into his pocket. He knew better than to try it on, at least not until he was old enough to test it for curses, but he couldn't just throw it away.

Nearby, someone softly cleared their throat. Sev spun back around, not sure who he was expecting to see but not prepared for who was there. Lily Evans was standing at the playground's gate, eyeing him just as warily as he had been eyeing the Doctor and Turlough just a few minutes earlier.

"Tuney said you're the Snape boy," she said, not moving from the gate. "What's your name?"

"Severus," he said slowly, uncertainly, "but some people call me Sev."

She kept staring at him. "Am I really a witch?"

All he could do was nod.

Lily bit her lip. "And are you really a wizard?"

"_Are you sure you want to leave? She might come back."_

An odd grinding sound suddenly filled the air, and both children quickly glanced around. It faded away after a few seconds, leaving the playground as silent as it had been before. Sev tentatively took a few steps forward, holding his hand out to Lily. "I could tell you about it," he said, "about the magical world."

Lily hesitated for just a second before reaching out to take his hand.

* * *

Lily sighed as she lay back on the grass, her head resting in Sev's lap. "Are you ready to go back to Hogwarts, Sev?"

"Yes," Sev said, glancing down to meet her gaze, "and no."

She rolled her eyes. "You can never give a straight answer, can you?"

He laughed half-heartedly, reaching down to tug gently at a loose strand of hair that had slipped onto her face. "I'm ready to get away from my family," he said, his smile fading, "but I'll miss being able to spend time with you."

"You could still spend time with me," Lily said with a sigh. She reluctantly pushed herself out of his lap so that she could meet his gaze evenly. "Just because we're in different houses doesn't mean we can't still be friends. We're starting Fifth Year, Sev, you should know that by now."

Sev looked away.

Lily sighed again, and she reached out to gently touch his face. He reluctantly turned his gaze back toward her, only to freeze in surprise at the look in her eyes. Before he even knew what was happening, she leaned in and started to press her lips against his. . . .

. . . . and someone fell on top of them.

As they went sprawling to the ground, Lily let out a shriek and started hitting the man who'd come barreling through the trees only to trip over them. Sev had already gone for his wand, more out of habit than anything else, before he recognized the voice that was profusely apologizing to them.

"Doctor?" he asked, startled.

The Doctor had managed to push himself off them, but he froze in surprise at his name. Both he and Lily turned started gazes at Sev. "You know him?" Lily asked, the expression on her face halfway between amused and angry.

"Yes and no," Sev replied distractedly, turning his gaze back toward the Doctor.

She grabbed his hand, her voice terse. "Straight answer, Sev, remember?"

"Sorry, Lily," he said, squeezing her hand gently. He didn't move his gaze from the Doctor. "Is Turlough somewhere around here?"

There was no mistaking the confusion in the Doctor's eyes. "Turlough?"

Sev nodded, feeling a little perplexed himself. "Ginger hair, schoolboy uniform, didn't seem to listen to you very much."

"Ah," the Doctor said. He pushed himself to his feet and started wiping dirt off of his clothes. "I don't think that I've met him yet."

Lily's grip on his hand tightened, and Sev glanced over at her. He shrugged helplessly, hoping that she'd be able to read his face and know that he didn't have a clue what that meant.

Before Sev had a chance to question the Doctor's statement, the sound of several people running filled the air. A few seconds later, three people appeared at the edge of the clearing. One was a boy, probably near their age; the other two were girls, one probably a year or two older than them and the other looked to be somewhere in her early twenties.

"Ah, there you three are," the Doctor said, smiling. "I was starting to think you hadn't managed to get away."

The oldest of the three snorted. "Was that before or after you remembered that you'd forgotten to mention that they breathe fire?"

The Doctor's smile grew a little forced. "Adric, Nyssa, Tegan," he said, gesturing toward each of them, "this is. . . ." He trailed off and gave Lily and Sev a sheepish look. "Sorry, I didn't get your names."

Lily glanced over at Sev, _this is crazy_ clearly written on her face. That didn't stop her from nodding at the Doctor. "I'm Lily Evans."

"Severus Snape," Sev said, as the Doctor's gaze turned toward him.

The Doctor didn't even try to hide his recognition as they said their names. Lily and Sev shared a look, almost identical to the ones that the Doctor's companions were sharing among themselves. Apparently sensing what was going through everyone's minds, the Doctor clapped his hands.

"Nice meeting you, but we better be going." He gestured in the direction that he had come running from. "You never know when fire-breathing aliens might come looking for the power source to their spaceship."

Lily's grip on his hand tightened. "He's mad," she muttered.

"Right about that," the older of the Doctor's companions, Tegan, grumbled under her breath.

As the Doctor shot her a look, very similar to the one Sev remembered him giving Turlough all those years ago, something popped into his memory.

"_The next time you see him, you're going to need it."_

"Wait," Sev said, reaching under his shirt to pull out the ring he wore around his neck. "I think that I'm supposed to give you this."

Adric's eyes widened. "Doctor, is that what I think it is?"

"Yes," the Doctor said shortly, holding out his hand as Sev pulled the chain up over his neck. "Where did you get that?"

Sev eyed him warily as he dropped the ring into the Doctor's hand. "Your pocket," he replied. "You and your friend gave it to me six years ago."

"Well, that was smart of me," the Doctor said after a second. He looked at Sev again, a little more scrutiny in his eyes.

A loud roar filled the air, coming from somewhere in the distance. "Doctor," Nyssa said warningly, grabbing his hand. "We really need to get back to the TARDIS if we're going to stop them."

"Yes, yes." The Doctor winked at Sev. "Until we meet again."

Without saying another word, he took off running. Adric and Nyssa shared a look before following him, leaving Tegan standing there. She rolled her eyes before shooting Lily and Sev an apologetic look. "Sorry about that," she said, shrugging. "That's just who he is."

Another roar filled the air, and she took off after the other three. "You two might want to get out of here," she called over her shoulder. "They really do breathe fire."

Sev blinked as she disappeared into the trees; then he slowly glanced over at Lily. "What just happened?" she asked, sounding completely perplexed.

"I'm not sure," he said, flinching as another roar filled the air, "but I think that they might have the right idea."

They ran, neither of them letting go of the other's hand.

* * *

Severus nursed his drink, carefully avoiding meeting anyone's gaze. He couldn't help but glance at his covered arm every few minutes, certain that everyone around him could see the mark on his skin. Perhaps a twinge of regret played in the back of his mind, but he was careful not to let it show. The Dark Lord had spies everywhere, and he was certain that a recruit as new as he was would be under careful scrutiny.

"Mind if I join you?"

Someone dropped down in the chair beside him, not even waiting for an answer. Severus looked up, preparing a sharp retort, but it died in his throat when he found a familiar pair of eyes staring back at him. "Doctor."

The Doctor was dressed in plain wizarding robes, and—while Severus still doubted that he was an actual wizard—it was obvious that he was more than a mere Muggle. He nodded, and two more people slipped by to sit down at the table.

Severus eyed the two newcomers, both of them women. One had dark skin, and there was something in her eyes that made him think that it would not be a good idea to get on her wrong side. She, like the Doctor, wore her robes as if they were made for her, and he couldn't help but wonder if she might actually be a witch. The other, however, practically screamed Muggle—or, at the very least, Muggle-born.

"Why are you here?" Severus asked, careful to keep his face expressionless.

The Doctor shrugged. "This is Erimem," he said, gesturing toward the darker woman, "and this is Peri."

Severus shot a cool look in Peri's direction. "These are dark times," he said warningly. "It's not safe to travel with someone who is so obviously a Muggle."

"Did he just call me a Muggle?" Peri asked, thankfully keeping her voice down. "Doctor, what's a Muggle?"

Not just a Muggle then, but an American Muggle. Severus frowned.

The Doctor ignored the look Severus was shooting him. "You've finished at Hogwarts, correct?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I've never even mentioned to you that I was a wizard," he said dryly.

He wasn't expecting a reply, and he didn't get one. The Doctor just stared at him, and Severus met his gaze head-on. After several seconds, though, he had to look away.

The Doctor reached over the table and patted his hand. "When it's time, you'll make the right decision."

Severus looked up, ready to question the Doctor about his cryptic tone. Before he got a word out, however, the Doctor stood up and gestured for Erimem and Peri to follow him. "Until we meet again," he said, bowing slightly.

As they walked away from the table, Severus unconsciously rubbed his arm. The mark on his arm suddenly felt as heavy as the ring that the Doctor had given him all those years ago, and he could almost feel it pulling his arm downward.

* * *

Severus walked blindly through the streets, not caring who or what he met. His mind felt curiously blank, and he wondered if this might not be what it's like for an Inferius: no mind of its own, just a puppet on a string forced to do its master's bidding. He felt dead inside, and he was certain that any second from now he'd find himself at the receiving end of the Killing Curse.

"Severus?"

He spun around, wand in hand and a curse on his lips before he even realized what he was doing. When he saw the Doctor's familiar face staring back at him, though, he felt his wand drop from his already loose grip. "Doctor."

"The war's over," the Doctor said softly. As Severus looked into his eyes, he felt as if he was peering into a bottomless pit. "Voldemort was defeated."

Severus couldn't help but flinch at how calmly the Doctor said the Dark Lord's name. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind, questions that he wanted to ask, but the only thing that he said was: "You knew."

The Doctor looked away. "I know a lot of things," he said gently. "You'll have to be more specific."

"You knew that the Dark Lord would fall," Severus said, his voice shaking. "You knew that I would turn against him, for her sake. You knew. . . ."

". . . . that she would die?" the Doctor said, breaking in. "Yes, yes I did."

For the first time, Severus noticed two forms standing in the shadows behind the Doctor. As they stepped out into the light, he didn't even try to hide his surprise. Nyssa and Tegan stood there, neither of them looking much older than they had that summer day all those years ago. A long-building suspicion popped back into his mind, pushing aside his grief for just a moment.

"No Peri and Erimem this time, I see," Severus said softly. "Not to mention Turlough or Adric, for that matter."

The Doctor frowned as Nyssa made a quiet noise, somewhere between a gasp and a sob. Tegan glared at Severus as she gently reached over and put her arms around the other woman.

"Adric's gone," the Doctor said, his voice suddenly several shades cooler than it had been moments before.

"So is Lily," Severus shot back.

The Doctor's face lightened at that, as if he just remembered that they weren't the only ones who had lost someone, but Severus pushed past it. "What exactly are you, Doctor?"

"I'm sure you have your suspicions," the Doctor said, smiling slightly. Severus couldn't help but noticed, however, that he took a few steps back so that he could reach over to gently pet Nyssa's arm.

Severus nodded. "You're not a wizard or a Muggle," he said. "This is my fourth time meeting you, but I think it's only your second time meeting me."

"Third, actually," Nyssa said quietly. Severus couldn't help but look up and meet her gaze, but he had to look away after only a few seconds.

The Doctor smiled encouragingly at Severus. "You're on the right track," he said.

It was obvious that the Doctor wasn't going to fill in any gaps. Severus sighed and knelt down to pick up his wand, carefully keeping his eye on the Doctor. "What are you doing here?"

"We're just passing through," the Doctor said gently. Forgivingly. "You made the right choice, when you agreed to protect her son."

Severus jerked slightly, not certain what he had been expecting but it wasn't that. "What do you know about my choices?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

The Doctor shook his head. "More than you could possibly realize," he said softly. He held out his hand, offering it to Severus.

For a moment, Severus stared at his offered hand. Then he shook his head, hesitantly at first but then stronger. "I'm not ready."

Sighing, the Doctor pulled his hand back. To Severus's relief, he didn't press the issue.

"You will be," the Doctor said, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips.

The Doctor half-bowed before turning to shepherd Nyssa and Tegan into the alley behind him. Severus frowned, slightly surprised. Then a familiar sound filled the air, one that he hadn't heard in over ten years. His eyes widening slightly, he hurried forward.

"_Lumos_!" he shouted, holding his wand out in front of him.

The alley was empty.

* * *

Severus muttered a few choice words under his breath as he sat down in the chair Dumbledore had offered him. "What is this about, Dumbledore?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I am busy enough as it is, what with the students arriving in less than a weeks' time."

Dumbledore just smiled at him. "Jelly baby?" he asked, holding out a bag. "A friend of mine gave these to me. They're actually rather good."

"I can imagine," Severus said dryly. He didn't move to take one of the candies. "I repeat, what is this about?"

Shaking his head, Dumbledore lay the bag down on his desk before sitting down in a chair near Severus. "I think you know why I called you here, Severus."

Severus didn't even try to hide the flash of emotion that he knew must have appeared on his face. "Harry Potter."

Dumbledore smiled. "As you said, the students arrive in less than a week," he replied. "You've seen the papers. We were almost too late."

"I remember my promise," Severus said matter-of-factly. He carefully put on the mask that he had been perfecting for the past ten years.

"I never doubted that you did," Dumbledore replied. "I merely wanted to. . . ."

He trailed off as his office was suddenly filled by a loud noise. Severus sat up straighter, his eyes quickly drifting over the room. In his cage, Fawkes let out a wild shriek.

Much to Severus's surprise, _something_ began to materialize in the corner of the office. He couldn't tell what it was at first, other than "blue" and "boxlike," but after a few seconds he found himself staring at what looked like an old-fashioned Muggle police box.

Severus glanced over at Dumbledore, only vaguely surprised to see recognition on the headmaster's face. "Ah," Dumbledore said, "it looks as if we're going to have company. I wonder what he will look like this time."

Before he had a chance to even think about what that might possibly mean, the doors of the police box opened and a familiar face peered out. "Albus," the Doctor said, smiling at Dumbledore. "I thought that I recognized the office."

"Doctor," Dumbledore replied, nodding. Then he turned toward Severus. "Severus, I suppose an introduction is in order."

Severus's mouth twitched, but he was careful not to smile. "We've met," he said. He nodded at the familiar figure peering out from behind the Doctor. "Hello again, Peri. Or is this the first time?"

"Second time." She gave him a brief smile.

Severus nodded, but he didn't say anything. He glanced over at Dumbledore, who was looking at him with a pleased look on his face. "You still have a few secrets, don't you?" the headmaster asked, his eyes twinkling.

Shaking his head in amusement, Dumbledore pulled out his wand and drew forth two more chairs. "Have a seat," he said. He picked up the bag that he had lay on his desk and glanced over at the Doctor, a teasing look on his face. "Would you care for a jelly baby?"

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head. Then he looked over at Severus, his face sobering a bit. "I suppose it's time that I answer at least a few of your questions."

Severus leaned back in his chair, meeting the Doctor's gaze as he quirked his eyebrow. "Time traveler?" he asked casually.

A bittersweet look appeared on the Doctor's face as he sat down in the chair Dumbledore had provided him. "Yes," he said quietly, "and so much more."

* * *

Severus hurried through the grounds of Hogwarts, forcing himself to remain as calm as possible. His hands were clenched into fists at his side, so tightly that he could feel his fingernails digging ruthlessly into his skin. He had known this moment was coming all year, as the Dark Mark on his arm grew more and more visible with each passing day, but he had still hoped that it could somehow be avoided.

There was no hope of that now, not if Potter's story was true. And he knew that the boy had been telling the truth. Despite everything, the child had Lily's eyes . . . and Severus had learned to read those years and years ago. The Dark Lord had returned, and war once again loomed on the horizon.

He had his orders. The promise he had made to Dumbledore all those years ago still bound him, and Severus had no plans on betraying the headmaster. He knew that he was walking straight into the fire, but there was nothing he could do.

The gates were just in front of him, marking the edges of the school's grounds. As soon as he stepped over the threshold, he could Apparate away. A shadow moved in the corner of his vision, and Severus froze. His eyes narrowed, and he quickly pulled out his wand. "_Lumos_," he hissed.

The Doctor smiled at him from where he was standing just outside the gate.

Severus frowned back, but he took a few steps forward so that he was standing just inside the boundary of the grounds. "What are you doing here?" he asked warily. "I doubt the headmaster has time for a talk."

In the shadows behind the Doctor, someone snorted. Tegan stepped up beside him, rolling her eyes. "If your lot's in as much of a mess as the Doctor says, then that's an understatement."

"Tegan," Severus said coolly.

Someone else walked out of the shadows, chuckling softly. A young man. "I don't think he likes you very much," he said to Tegan.

Severus frowned. "Turlough."

The young man frowned, suddenly eyeing Severus with much more scrutiny. "I don't know you," he said suspiciously.

"We'll meet."

The Doctor shook his head, reaching out to gently grab both of his companions by the arm. "We're not here to pick a fight," he said placatingly. "I just thought it would be a good time to stop by Hogwarts, what with Voldemort's return."

Severus couldn't help but notice that neither Tegan nor Turlough flinched at the name, letting him know that they were definitely Muggles. Not that he had doubted it. Then he realized what the Doctor had said and narrowed his eyes. "Would it hurt you to let us know these things before they happened?"

The Doctor frowned a bit, but he didn't reply.

Shaking his head, Severus met the Doctor's gaze. "I have something to be doing."

"I know," the Doctor replied, nodding. "The war has started."

Turlough blanched. "War?"

"We're in the middle of a war?" Tegan griped, turning toward the Doctor. "The one time Kamelion might actually come in handy, and you leave him back in the TARDIS?"

The Doctor ignored them, his attention still focused on Severus. "Isn't the castle beautiful at night?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, but he didn't argue as he turned around to look back at Hogwarts. "I supposed," he said doubtfully.

"You already know what decision you'll make," the Doctor said softly. Severus could hear pain in his voice, but he wasn't sure what it was from. "For her sake."

When Severus turned back around, they were gone.

Severus shook his head, not surprised. Then he took in a deep breath, trying to steel his resolve. There was a good chance that he would be dead within seconds; Lord Voldemort was not known for giving second chances, especially to those who he believed to have betrayed him.

Somewhere in the distance, he heard the sound of the TARDIS disappearing. In his mind's eye, a nine-year-old Lily Evans shivered at the sound before reaching out to take his hand for the first time. A second later, she was fifteen . . . holding his hand tightly as they ran from what the Doctor had claimed were aliens. She smiled at him, scared and brave at the same time: "_Is this really happening, Sev?"_

Closing his eyes, he took the final step off of the Hogwarts grounds and Apparated away.

* * *

The sound of the TARDIS echoed throughout the headmaster's office, and Severus looked up in surprise. He saw a hint of movement from Dumbledore's portrait as the former headmaster woke up with a start, but he kept his attention focused on the corner of the room where a familiar blue box was materializing. Something cracked. He realized with a start that his hand had unconsciously clenched around the quill he had been holding, squeezing it until it had broken.

He let the broken quill drop to the desk as the TARDIS doors opened, the Doctor peering out. The Time Lord's face fell a bit when he saw Severus sitting there, and his eyes quickly scanned the room until he saw Dumbledore's portrait hanging on the wall. "Oh, Albus," he said softly.

"Doctor," Severus said calmly, hoping his voice didn't betray him.

The Doctor glanced up at him, confused, until recognition dawned. "Severus Snape."

He stepped out of the TARDIS, Nyssa's familiar form slipping out behind him. Severus quickly ran through the timeline that he had been working through over the years, bits and pieces of past conversations running through his head. "_Third, actually,"_ Nyssa had said all those years ago.

"This is only the second time we've met for you," Severus said, frowning. The disappointment he felt at that realization surprised him.

The Doctor finally glanced away from Dumbledore's portrait and eyed him thoughtfully. "I suppose it's been more than that for you."

Severus quirked an eyebrow. "You could say that," he said dryly.

He reached into the desk, pulling out the bag of candy that kept mysteriously appearing there no matter how many times he threw it away. The Doctor smiled as Severus offered it to him. "Jelly babies?" he asked, his eyes twinkling as they flickered toward the wall of portraits. "These hardly seem your type."

Dumbledore's portrait chuckled.

Severus pulled out his wand and levitated two chairs close to his desk. "We should talk, Doctor," he said matter-of-factly.

The Doctor's smile faded as he studied Severus's face. He nodded at Nyssa before settling down in one of the chairs.

"Dumbledore, Phineas," Severus said, glancing at their portraits, "could you make certain that we don't have any unexpected visitors."

Dumbledore nodded, an unreadable expression on his face, before disappearing from his frame. Phineas followed him a second later.

Severus turned back toward the Doctor. "You offered me your hand once, in my past and your future. I didn't think I was ready to take it then."

Without hesitating, the Doctor held out his hand. After a moment's pause, Severus took it.

* * *

The agonizing pain he had been feeling slowly faded away, and Severus felt his hands go slack at his sides. He stared into the familiar green eyes, almost imagining that he could see Lily's red hair dangling loosely down in her face. Her laughter echoed in his mind, her face glowing with happiness.

His vision faded, starting at the edges and moving inward. Faces flashed in his mind, none of them lasting more than an instant. Eyes and hair of every color, some smiling and others frowning. The Doctor winked at him, blue eyes twinkling. Dumbledore clasped his shoulder. Lily leaned in to kiss him.

Severus would have sworn that he heard the TARDIS somewhere in the distance.


End file.
